Elderly man dies in Upper Darby house fire

UPPER DARBY — Authorities believe a malfunctioning kerosene heater caused the fire that trapped and killed a 78-year-old man inside of his Westwood Lane home late Thursday.

Upper Darby firefighters found the body of Edwin Duncan sitting below the dining room window of his home at 734 Westwood Lane. A neighbor told first responders that they heard Duncan screaming for help as fire ripped through the two-story single family home.

“He had lived there for a long time, by himself,” said Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood. “It looked like he was trying to get out. One of the neighbors said they could hear him screaming for help.”

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The fire with entrapment was reported at about 9:30 p.m. The house was already engulfed in flames when firefighters and police got to the scene.

Firefighters attempted to enter the house but were forced back because of heavy smoke and fire.

Working in single-digit temperatures, firefighters got the blaze under control in less than an hour. When they entered the house, they found Duncan’s body. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities said several space heaters were found inside of the house.

There were no other injuries, police said.

“He was really nice guy. It’s a real tragedy what happened,” said Vince Rizzo, who is working to renovate a house across the street. “It’s a shame. He’ll be missed.”

The fire appears to be accidental, but remains under investigation, Chitwood said.

This is the second weather-related death in the township this week.

On Sunday, a 32-year-old North Carolina man died from carbon monoxide poisoning while refurbishing a rental property in the 500 block of Hillshire Road, police said.

Kyle Devero, of Durham, N.C., and the owner of the Hillshire Road house, were painting and cleaning the house to get it ready for the next renter. The owner left for several hours, then returned around 7 p.m. to find Devero deceased in a second-floor bathroom.

A gas generator had been used inside of the house to run a space heater and a cellphone, Chitwood said, adding that carbon monoxide levels inside of the house were four to five times normal levels.

The American Red Cross will be in the Penn Pines section of Upper Darby on Sunday handing out fire-safety material.